


Ghosts

by cantbother



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Gen, Hope, Season/Series 06
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-19
Updated: 2020-02-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 23:53:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22794307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cantbother/pseuds/cantbother
Summary: “Run.”, her brother had yelled to her.His hair had been too long and his clothes had been too big and it had been years since she had last thought of him as anything but a traitor.“Run and don’t stop till the Gods command you.”
Relationships: Arya Stark & Sansa Stark, Sansa Stark & Starks, Theon Greyjoy & Sansa Stark
Comments: 1
Kudos: 27





	Ghosts

The fog had soaked her to the bone and the icy air burned every time she gasped for breath. At night the forest seemed too silent, too dark and she felt her pulse quicken just thinking what horrors could be hiding behind ever tree.

“ _Run_.”, her brother had yelled to her.

His hair had been too long and his clothes had been too big and it had been years since she had last thought of him as anything but a traitor.

“ _Run and don’t stop till the Gods command you._ ”

It had been days since she last saw another human and longer still since she last stopped running long enough to doubt her plans. The moon stole the worries from her head and the stars guided her along her path.

“ _There’s not much time._ ”, her sister had whispered at night, huddled together under a blanket for warmth.

She wondered why she dreamt of her now, when her sister had been lost for so long and she had thought she would never dream of anything but pain and death.

“ _They’re coming for us_.”

The woods had once been a place of solace for her, a sanctuary away from courtly obligations and biting whispers.

Now trees lunged for her, their branches like clawed fingers, trying to tear at her skin, her hair, her coat.

“ _Never look back_.”, her mother had cautioned her, while she braided her hair into neat plaids

She had been so young and so trusting back then, believing every word she was told.

“ _There is nothing but pain and doubt to be found in the past_.”

Her feet were frozen by the little stream she had to cross a day’s march away and she assumed that she was going to lose some toes.

This morning she had stopped feeling pain and she knew that meant her end was coming.

“ _Are you certain you can carry it?_ ”, her father had asked, a concerned frown on his face as he looked down at her.

She was thankful his head remained on his shoulders whenever he spoke his warnings to her.

“ _Words are heavy. And ours are heavier than most._ ”

The snow was hard under her feet and the falling flakes played her a song in the otherwise still night.

During the beginning she had passed the time singing to herself, now she hardly had the strength to force one foot in front of the other.

A heaviness had invaded her bones but she was still aware enough to realise that resting would mean dying.

“ _I cannot come with you._ ”, her brother had said when she was standing on the walls of the place she once called home.

The stones still remembered what they had once been: they warmed under her touch and brought back memories of days where the sun rose to announce a new day.

“ _Gh_ _osts are bound to their walls._ ”

But if he was right then why did she have so many ghosts following her?

So many vows sworn, so many vows broken, who would be left to collect them?

Maybe it would be the Gods, coming from their hiding places to hold court over her sins.

Maybe it would be her mother’s gods, the ones she had prayed to every day. The ones she herself had prayed to until she realised they were too gentle and kind to be created out of anything but other humans’ fears.

“ _Be a wolf_.”, her sister demanded now from the shadows.

She imagined Arya must have grown up since she last had seen her, but in her mind’s eye she was just as skinny and small as she had been then.

She did however grant her trousers and made sure to always remember the sword at her hip. Needle, Arya had called it.

She had learnt since then. Learnt that strength came in different forms, and no one was stronger than her little sister.

“ _Forget the southern dresses and our mothers gentle voice. Be a wolf. Be a Stark_.”

She would see her again she vowed that night, deep into the woods and half frozen to death.

She would live and she would find her sister and bring her home. Neither would ever have to marry again and Arya could become the knight she had always dreamt of being.

She did not know what had happened to her younger brothers and her parents and elder brothers were long since lost. But if the gods knew any mercy, if the fates were fair, then her sister had to be alive.

 _I will see Arya again_ , she whispered into the icy air and watched as her vow dissolved.

So many vows broken, but this would not be one of them.

“ _Family is important_.”, her mother nodded approvingly.

She wondered what her mother would think of her now: dirty and starved and broken over and over again.

 _No_ , she reminded herself, _not broken. They did not break you. You are still here._ And maybe she thought, that was the answer to her question too.

She was fighting for her family and for her home. Her mother had always valued that.

Was she imagine things or were the trees getting fewer?

Morrow was nearing in any case: the sky was beginning to shily turn grey. It had yet to stop to snow but she hardly felt the cold anymore.

Was she imagining or were those noises the sound of blacksmiths working?

There was a smile tugging at her lips. Should this just be a side effect of dying she welcomed it with open arms.

“ _The lone wolf dies_.”, her father reminded her, still so worried, always worried. She wished she could recall his smile but it was fading.

 _Yes_ , she answered, and her cheeks felt brittle and hurt from smiling, but she couldn’t stop herself.

She was close, so close. Her blood was singing at being so close to family again and he rightness rattled against her bones.

 _Wolf_ , she thought. _Raven. Family. Pack. Pack. Pack._

_The lone wolf dies_ , she heard echoing around in her skull. _The lone wolf dies_.

_But the pack survives_.

Sansa gathered her skirts into her shaking hands, stiff from the cold, and _ran_.

**Author's Note:**

> I don't think I've ever had to fight so much with any of my writing just to produce 1000 words but I'm kinda happy with the end product so enjoy!


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